By Dr. Michael Guido

Danny was kneeling next to his bed saying his prayers. Hands folded, eyes shut, lips moving, his mother heard him praying: “Lord, my brother still doesn’t have a job and he sure needs one. And, Lord, my sister, Ruth, she hasn’t had a date for a long time and she’s getting pretty old. And you know about Mom – she’s no better and may have to go back to the hospital. And Dad hasn’t gotten the promotion his boss promised him. You know, God, I’m getting very tired of praying for my family and not getting any results. Have you quit listening to me?”

Ever feel like Danny? No doubt most of us have.

Thank God for John’s insight: “And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in keeping with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for.”

John’s emphasis here is on God’s will – not our wants. And there is a dramatic difference between the two. Too often when we take our requests to the Lord, they do not “fit” His will for our lives. We ask selfishly and do not take into consideration how what we want may differ from what He needs us to be and what He has designed for us to do. We must align our requests with His will. The ultimate test of any prayer is: “Lord, give me this for Your sake in Your name for Your glory, then I know it will be Your will because it will honor You and not me!”

PRAYER: Lord, help us to understand how to pray and what to pray for. May we accept the delays knowing that You will grant our requests if they are for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in keeping with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for. – 1 John 5:14-15